VETERANS -- PENTAGON WARNS OF 'HARM' FROM WEBB'S EFFORT TO GIVE SOLDIERS BENEFITS AFTER SERVING 'ONLY' TWO YEARS: Currently, there are 56 senators, including 10 Republicans, who have joined Sen. Jim Webb's (D-VA) effort to dramatically expand educational benefits for returning veterans. The 21st Century GI Bill would pay a significant portion of college costs for all servicemembers, including national guard members, who served on active duty after Sept. 11, 2001. The Pentagon and the White House oppose the bill, out of an apparent fear "that too many will use it." In a press briefing yesterday, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell explained the administration's opposition, warning of the "harm" Webb's bill would do to troop retention and objecting to the generous benefits given after "only" two years of service. Instead, the Pentagon supports giving GI benefits after a full six years, meaning that, a soldier who participated in the invasion of Baghdad in April of 2003 and had remained in service ever since would be forced to wait a whole year before becoming eligible for full benefits. The New York Times's Bob Herbert recently pointed out that more robust educational benefits will only help the military fill its enlistment quotas with qualified Americans. VoteVets chairman Jon Soltz and Gen. Wesley Clark said recently, "it is morally reprehensible to fix the system so that civilian life is unappealing to service members, in an attempt to force them to re-up."